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Click on icon to see table/diagram/imageSevere Renal and Hepatic Impairment in Adults: Use a lower starting dose of 0.5 mg twice daily. May increase to dosages above 1.5 mg twice daily at intervals of one week or longer.
Schizophrenia: Adults: Usual Initial Dose: RISPERDAL can be administered once or twice daily. Initial dosing is 2 mg per day. May increase the dose at intervals of 24 hours or greater, in increments of 1 to 2 mg per day, as tolerated, to a recommended dose of 4 to 8 mg per day. In some patients, slower titration may be appropriate. Efficacy has been demonstrated in a range of 4 mg to 16 mg per day. However, doses above 6 mg per day for twice daily dosing were not demonstrated to be more efficacious than lower doses, were associated with more extrapyramidal symptoms and other adverse effects, and are generally not recommended. In a single study supporting once-daily dosing, the efficacy results were generally stronger for 8 mg than for 4 mg. The safety of doses above 16 mg per day has not been evaluated in clinical trials [see Pharmacology: Pharmacodynamics: Clinical Studies under Actions].
Adolescents: The initial dose is 0.5 mg once daily, administered as a single-daily dose in the morning or evening. The dose may be adjusted at intervals of 24 hours or greater, in increments of 0.5 mg or 1 mg per day, as tolerated, to a recommended dose of 3 mg per day. Although efficacy has been demonstrated in studies of adolescent patients with schizophrenia at doses between 1 mg to 6 mg per day, no additional benefit was observed above 3 mg per day, and higher doses were associated with more adverse events. Doses higher than 6 mg per day have not been studied.
Patients experiencing persistent somnolence may benefit from administering half the daily dose twice daily.
Maintenance Therapy: While it is unknown how long a patient with schizophrenia should remain on RISPERDAL, the effectiveness of RISPERDAL 2 mg per day to 8 mg per day at delaying relapse was demonstrated in a controlled trial in adult patients who had been clinically stable for at least 4 weeks and were then followed for a period of 1 to 2 years [see Pharmacology: Pharmacodynamics: Clinical Studies under Actions]. Both adult and adolescent patients who respond acutely should generally be maintained on their effective dose beyond the acute episode. Patients should be periodically reassessed to determine the need for maintenance treatment.
Reinitiation of Treatment in Patients Previously Discontinued: Although there are no data to specifically address reinitiation of treatment, it is recommended that after an interval off RISPERDAL, the initial titration schedule should be followed.
Switching From Other Antipsychotics: There are no systematically collected data to specifically address switching schizophrenic patients from other antipsychotics to RISPERDAL, or treating patients with concomitant antipsychotics.
Bipolar Mania: Usual Dose: Adults: The initial dose range is 2 mg to 3 mg per day. The dose may be adjusted at intervals of 24 hours or greater, in increments of 1 mg per day. The effective dose range is 1 mg to 6 mg per day, as studied in the short-term, placebo-controlled trials. In these trials, short-term (3 week) anti-manic efficacy was demonstrated in a flexible dosage range of 1 mg to 6 mg per day [see Pharmacology: Pharmacodynamics: Clinical Studies under Actions]. RISPERDAL doses higher than 6 mg per day were not studied.
Pediatrics: The initial dose is 0.5 mg once daily, administered as a single-daily dose in the morning or evening. The dose may be adjusted at intervals of 24 hours or greater, in increments of 0.5 mg or 1 mg per day, as tolerated, to the recommended target dose of 1 mg to 2.5 mg per day. Although efficacy has been demonstrated in studies of pediatric patients with bipolar mania at doses between 0.5 mg and 6 mg per day, no additional benefit was observed above 2.5 mg per day, and higher doses were associated with more adverse events. Doses higher than 6 mg per day have not been studied.
Patients experiencing persistent somnolence may benefit from administering half the daily dose twice daily.
Maintenance Therapy: There is no body of evidence available from controlled trials to guide a clinician in the longer-term management of a patient who improves during treatment of an acute manic episode with RISPERDAL. While it is generally agreed that pharmacological treatment beyond an acute response in mania is desirable, both for maintenance of the initial response and for prevention of new manic episodes, there are no systematically obtained data to support the use of RISPERDAL in such longer-term treatment (i.e., beyond 3 weeks). The physician who elects to use RISPERDAL for extended periods should periodically re-evaluate the long-term risks and benefits of the drug for the individual patient.
Irritability Associated with Autistic Disorder - Pediatrics (Children and Adolescents): The dosage of RISPERDAL should be individualized according to the response and tolerability of the patient. The total daily dose of RISPERDAL can be administered once daily, or half the total daily dose can be administered twice daily.
For patients with body weight less than 20 kg, initiate dosing at 0.25 mg per day. For patients with body weight greater than or equal to 20 kg, initiate dosing at 0.5 mg per day. After a minimum of four days, the dose may be increased to the recommended dose of 0.5 mg per day for patients less than 20 kg and 1.0 mg per day for patients greater than or equal to 20 kg. Maintain this dose for a minimum of 14 days. In patients not achieving sufficient clinical response, the dose may be increased at intervals of 2 weeks or greater, in increments of 0.25 mg per day for patients less than 20 kg, or increments of 0.5 mg per day for patients greater than or equal to 20 kg. The effective dose range is 0.5 mg to 3 mg per day. No dosing data are available for children who weigh less than 15 kg.
Once sufficient clinical response has been achieved and maintained, consider gradually lowering the dose to achieve the optimal balance of efficacy and safety. The physician who elects to use RISPERDAL for extended periods should periodically re-evaluate the long-term risks and benefits of the drug for the individual patient.
Patients experiencing persistent somnolence may benefit from a once‑daily dose administered at bedtime or administering half the daily dose twice daily, or a reduction of the dose.
Dosing in Patients with Severe Renal or Hepatic Impairment: For patients with severe renal impairment (CLcr < 30 mL/min) or hepatic impairment (10-15 points on Child Pugh System), the initial starting dose is 0.5 mg twice daily. The dose may be increased in increments of 0.5 mg or less, administered twice daily. For doses above 1.5 mg twice daily, increase in intervals of one week or greater [see Precautions].
Dose Adjustments for Specific Drug Interactions: When RISPERDAL is co-administered with enzyme inducers (e.g., carbamazepine), the dose of RISPERDAL should be increased up to double the patient's usual dose. It may be necessary to decrease the RISPERDAL dose when enzyme inducers such as carbamazepine are discontinued [see Interactions]. Similar effect may be expected with co-administration of RISPERDAL with other enzyme inducers (e.g., phenytoin, rifampin, and phenobarbital).
When fluoxetine or paroxetine is co-administered with RISPERDAL, the dose of RISPERDAL should be reduced. The RISPERDAL dose should not exceed 8 mg per day in adults when co-administered with these drugs. When initiating therapy, RISPERDAL should be titrated slowly. It may be necessary to increase the RISPERDAL dose when enzyme inhibitors such as fluoxetine or paroxetine are discontinued [see Interactions].
Administration of RISPERDAL Oral Solution: RISPERDAL Oral Solution can be administered directly from the calibrated pipette, or can be mixed with a beverage prior to administration. RISPERDAL Oral Solution is compatible in the following beverages: water, coffee, orange juice, and low-fat milk; it is NOT compatible with either cola or tea.
Risperdal Consta: For patients who have never taken oral RISPERDAL, it is recommended to establish tolerability with oral RISPERDAL prior to initiating treatment with RISPERDAL CONSTA.
RISPERDAL CONSTA should be administered every 2 weeks by deep intramuscular (IM) deltoid or gluteal injection. Each injection should be administered by a health care professional using the appropriate enclosed safety needle [see Instructions for Use under Cautions for Usage]. For deltoid administration, use the 1-inch needle alternating injections between the two arms. For gluteal administration, use the 2-inch needle alternating injections between the two buttocks. Do not administer intravenously.
Schizophrenia: The recommended dose for the treatment of schizophrenia is 25 mg IM every 2 weeks. Although dose response for effectiveness has not been established for RISPERDAL CONSTA, some patients not responding to 25 mg may benefit from a higher dose of 37.5 mg or 50 mg. The maximum dose should not exceed 50 mg RISPERDAL CONSTA every 2 weeks. No additional benefit was observed with dosages greater than 50 mg RISPERDAL CONSTA; however, a higher incidence of adverse effects was observed.
The efficacy of RISPERDAL CONSTA in the treatment of schizophrenia has not been evaluated in controlled clinical trials for longer than 12 weeks. Although controlled studies have not been conducted to answer the question of how long patients with schizophrenia should be treated with RISPERDAL CONSTA, oral risperidone has been shown to be effective in delaying time to relapse in longer-term use. It is recommended that responding patients be continued on treatment with RISPERDAL CONSTA at the lowest dose needed. The physician who elects to use RISPERDAL CONSTA for extended periods should periodically re‑evaluate the long-term risks and benefits of the drug for the individual patient.
Bipolar Disorder: The recommended dose for monotherapy or adjunctive therapy to lithium or valproate for the maintenance treatment of Bipolar I Disorder is 25 mg IM every 2 weeks. Some patients may benefit from a higher dose of 37.5 mg or 50 mg. Dosages above 50 mg have not been studied in this population. The physician who elects to use RISPERDAL CONSTA for extended periods should periodically re-evaluate the long-term risks and benefits of the drug for the individual patient.
General Dosing Information: A lower initial dose of 12.5 mg may be appropriate when clinical factors warrant dose adjustment, such as in patients with hepatic or renal impairment, for certain drug interactions that increase risperidone plasma concentrations [see Interactions] or in patients who have a history of poor tolerability to psychotropic medications. The efficacy of the 12.5 mg dose has not been investigated in clinical trials.
Oral RISPERDAL (or another antipsychotic medication) should be given with the first injection of RISPERDAL CONSTA and continued for 3 weeks (and then discontinued) to ensure that adequate therapeutic plasma concentrations are maintained prior to the main release phase of risperidone from the injection site [see Pharmacology: Pharmacokinetics under Actions].
Upward dose adjustment should not be made more frequently than every 4 weeks. The clinical effects of this dose adjustment should not be anticipated earlier than 3 weeks after the first injection with the higher dose.
In patients with clinical factors such as hepatic or renal impairment or certain drug interactions that increase risperidone plasma concentrations [see Interactions], dose reduction as low as 12.5 mg may be appropriate. The efficacy of the 12.5 mg dose has not been investigated in clinical trials.
Do not combine two different dose strengths of RISPERDAL CONSTA in a single administration.
Dosage in Special Populations: Elderly: For elderly patients treated with RISPERDAL CONSTA, the recommended dosage is 25 mg IM every 2 weeks. Oral RISPERDAL (or another antipsychotic medication) should be given with the first injection of RISPERDAL CONSTA and should be continued for 3 weeks to ensure that adequate therapeutic plasma concentrations are maintained prior to the main release phase of risperidone from the injection site [see Pharmacology: Pharmacokinetics under Actions].
Renal or Hepatic Impairment: Patients with renal or hepatic impairment should be treated with titrated doses of oral RISPERDAL prior to initiating treatment with RISPERDAL CONSTA. The recommended starting dose is 0.5 mg oral RISPERDAL twice daily during the first week, which can be increased to 1 mg twice daily or 2 mg once daily during the second week. If a total daily dose of at least 2 mg oral RISPERDAL is well tolerated, an injection of 25 mg RISPERDAL CONSTA can be administered every 2 weeks. Oral supplementation should be continued for 3 weeks after the first injection until the main release of risperidone from the injection site has begun. In some patients, slower titration may be medically appropriate. Alternatively, a starting dose of RISPERDAL CONSTA of 12.5 mg may be appropriate. The efficacy of the 12.5 mg dose has not been investigated in clinical trials.
Patients with renal impairment may have less ability to eliminate risperidone than normal adults. Patients with impaired hepatic function may have an increase in the free fraction of the risperidone, possibly resulting in an enhanced effect [see Pharmacology: Pharmacokinetics under Actions]. Elderly patients and patients with a predisposition to hypotensive reactions or for whom such reactions would pose a particular risk should be instructed in nonpharmacologic interventions that help to reduce the occurrence of orthostatic hypotension (e.g., sitting on the edge of the bed for several minutes before attempting to stand in the morning and slowly rising from a seated position). These patients should avoid sodium depletion or dehydration, and circumstances that accentuate hypotension (alcohol intake, high ambient temperature, etc.). Monitoring of orthostatic vital signs should be considered [see Precautions].
Reinitiation of Treatment in Patients Previously Discontinued: There are no data to specifically address reinitiation of treatment. When restarting patients who have had an interval off treatment with RISPERDAL CONSTA, supplementation with oral RISPERDAL (or another antipsychotic medication) should be administered.
Switching from Other Antipsychotics: There are no systematically collected data to specifically address switching patients from other antipsychotics to RISPERDAL CONSTA, or concerning concomitant administration with other antipsychotics. Previous antipsychotics should be continued for 3 weeks after the first injection of RISPERDAL CONSTA to ensure that therapeutic concentrations are maintained until the main release phase of risperidone from the injection site has begun [see Pharmacology: Pharmacokinetics under Actions]. For patients who have never taken oral RISPERDAL, it is recommended to establish tolerability with oral RISPERDAL prior to initiating treatment with RISPERDAL CONSTA. As recommended with other antipsychotic medications, the need for continuing existing EPS medication should be re-evaluated periodically.
Co-Administration of RISPERDAL CONSTA with Certain Other Medications: Co-administration of carbamazepine and other CYP 3A4 enzyme inducers (e.g., phenytoin, rifampin, phenobarbital) with risperidone would be expected to cause decreases in the plasma concentrations of the sum of risperidone and 9-hydroxyrisperidone combined, which could lead to decreased efficacy of RISPERDAL CONSTA treatment. The dose of risperidone needs to be titrated accordingly for patients receiving these enzyme inducers, especially during initiation or discontinuation of therapy with these inducers [see Interactions]. At the initiation of therapy with carbamazepine or other known CYP 3A4 hepatic enzyme inducers, patients should be closely monitored during the first 4-8 weeks, since the dose of RISPERDAL CONSTA may need to be adjusted. A dose increase, or additional oral RISPERDAL, may need to be considered. On discontinuation of carbamazepine or other CYP 3A4 hepatic enzyme inducers, the dosage of RISPERDAL CONSTA should be re-evaluated and, if necessary, decreased. Patients may be placed on a lower dose of RISPERDAL CONSTA between 2 to 4 weeks before the planned discontinuation of carbamazepine or other CYP 3A4 inducers to adjust for the expected increase in plasma concentrations of risperidone plus 9‑hydroxyrisperidone. For patients treated with the recommended dose of 25 mg RISPERDAL CONSTA and discontinuing from carbamazepine or other CYP 3A4 enzyme inducers, it is recommended to continue treatment with the 25-mg dose unless clinical judgment necessitates lowering the RISPERDAL CONSTA dose to 12.5 mg or necessitates interruption of RISPERDAL CONSTA treatment. The efficacy of the 12.5 mg dose has not been investigated in clinical trials.
Fluoxetine and paroxetine, CYP 2D6 inhibitors, have been shown to increase the plasma concentration of risperidone 2.5-2.8 fold and 3-9 fold respectively. Fluoxetine did not affect the plasma concentration of 9-hydroxyrisperidone. Paroxetine lowered the concentration of 9‑hydroxyrisperidone by about 10%. The dose of risperidone needs to be titrated accordingly when fluoxetine or paroxetine is co-administered. When either concomitant fluoxetine or paroxetine is initiated or discontinued, the physician should re-evaluate the dose of RISPERDAL CONSTA. When initiation of fluoxetine or paroxetine is considered, patients may be placed on a lower dose of RISPERDAL CONSTA between 2 to 4 weeks before the planned start of fluoxetine or paroxetine therapy to adjust for the expected increase in plasma concentrations of risperidone. When fluoxetine or paroxetine is initiated in patients receiving the recommended dose of 25 mg RISPERDAL CONSTA, it is recommended to continue treatment with the 25 mg dose unless clinical judgment necessitates lowering the RISPERDAL CONSTA dose to 12.5 mg or necessitates interruption of RISPERDAL CONSTA treatment. When RISPERDAL CONSTA is initiated in patients already receiving fluoxetine or paroxetine, a starting dose of 12.5 mg can be considered. The efficacy of the 12.5 mg dose has not been investigated in clinical trials. The effects of discontinuation of concomitant fluoxetine or paroxetine therapy on the pharmacokinetics of risperidone and 9-hydroxyrisperidonehave not been studied. [See Interactions.]
